Event Recap: Molly West ('97)

On Friday, October 25th The Cornell Sports Business Society was fortunate enough to host Molly West ('97) for an alumni speaker event. West currently serves as the Senior Director, Global Ad Sales Operations for ESPN. She graduated from the School of Human Ecology, playing Field Hockey during her time here, and was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.

West started her career working as a Sales Assistant for The Family Channel, known now as ABC Family. She quickly moved to a managerial role with a goal of managing other TV Sales Assistants during the expansion of Digital business in media. After 4.5 years, she moved into Ad Sales Planning team with a goal of maximizing commercial inventory. In 2004, she moved to ESPN to oversee all Ad Sales Support staff in NY.  In 2006, she was promoted to her current position, and in three years, her and her team helped improve the company's cash flow by $34 million.

She delivered a wide-ranging presentation which included an explanation of advertising sales in the media business, her "top 10 things I wish I knew when I was your age", and answered questions from our members. Read all about it after the jump.

When describing the advertising sales process in the media business, West explained that it was easiest to understand the system as four groups interacting. These four groups are: the client, any firm that wishes to buy advertising time, the media company, such as ESPN, the media agency, which acts a middle man between the client and the company, and the consumer.

The process starts when a client approaches the media agency, specifically the media-planning branch of the agency, with a desire to market their product. The media-buying branch of the agency then approaches the media company with a plan to bring their client exposure, whether it is through ads, sponsoring an event, or any other means to raise consumer awareness about a product. The company and the agency will then negotiate an agreement that allows the product to be showcased.

The consumer is connected to: the client through their exposure to the product, the company by watching their content, and indirectly the agency, because the agency is the expert on consumer trends and tastes. Brands want to be tied to a media company that reaches their desired demographics, West stressed, so it is the duty to of the media agency to be up to date on which demographics are reached by certain companies and programs. For example, as West said, ESPN has such high viewership amongst males, that any company wishing to reach that demographic would be very interested in The Worldwide Leader in Sports.

After her thorough explanation of the advertising sales in media, West offered ten pieces of advice she wished to offer us. Without further ado:
 

• "Money isn't everything"-While West said that she certainly appreciates her paycheck, money cannot buy happiness, and "when you're evaluating jobs, and a career, don't choose just for money". Be sure to review your package as not just salary, but also, company culture, time off, other benefits. You are looking for what is the best fit for you.

 

• "Ask for help"-She added an extra layer to this common piece of advice, to "find people who you can be vulnerable around and be yourself". In other words, don't ask just anyone for help, but find a few mentors with whom you're comfortable asking anything. Build a “board of directors” that you trust to share yourself with. These people could be friends, spouses, significant others, family, or coworkers.

 

• "Work smarter, not harder"-West stressed efficiency, saying that the person who works smartest and the most efficient will be given more responsibility and is more likely get more chances to shine with management which only helps with your career growth.

 

• "You don't know everything"-West advised that no one should be afraid to simply admit that they don't know and ask for help.

 

• "Be respectful and humble"-Confidence, not arrogance, is what West advised us to have, "show your personal brand across the entire organization", she said. NEVER underestimate that each person in your work environment is important. Be respectful to everyone around you, showing people that you aren’t only nice to the people you have deemed “important” but to everyone.

 

• "Be coachable, feedback is a gift"-If you're actively engaged in improving yourself, West said, you will inevitably succeed. When someone gives you feedback , especially when you are working so hard at making what you do perfect, it can be very frustrating. But hearing what someone says to you, is important to your growth personally and professionally.

 

• "Know thy self"-Self awareness is key, as West explained. What are your strengths & weaknesses, (we have a hard time identifying these in an interview because we are afraid people will not be impressed, but always being able to articulate what you are working on is a sign of growth and maturity). 

 

• "Perfection doesn't exist"-We should only be concerned with bettering ourselves, not striving for unattainable perfection. Also perfection is subjective, your “perfection” is different than mine. So how can you determine what the goals are supposed to be?

 

• "Attitude is everything"-If you don't go in with a positive attitude, success is impossible, West noted.

 

• "Have fun and enjoy the ride"-West closed her list of advice with the simple and key point to step back once in awhile and enjoy yourself. Being goal oriented is important in life, but the journey looking back is more the story than the goal itself.

To close her presentation, West answered a few questions about the rise of digital media and how that has affected her work. She said that digital media has indeed changed the business, although not radically. The main difference she noted was the way ads are presented in digital media versus television. On TV, commercials are linear, the consumer watches one ad, then another, and so on, until the content returns. Online, this is not the case, adverts can come from anywhere, the sidebar, the top banner of a website, before a video, or in the breaks of a live event. She calls this system of ads non-linear. Although digital media is growing, TV is still the "cash-cow", she explained, "people want to watch the big game on the big screen".

As always, The Sports Business Society extends its sincerest thanks to alumni like Molly West, who take their own time to come to campus and help educate our members about the nuances of the sports industry. Not only did Molly provide valuable insights into the business of advertising sales within sports media, but also provided fantastic advice that any of our members can use to help themselves and their careers. Molly's advice is truly invaluable to our members, and we hope to have her back again soon.